Latest news with #NoorulAminMengal
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Eid remission brings freedom to 270 inmates
The Punjab government has announced a 90-day remission for prisoners across the province as part of Eidul Azha celebration. Home Secretary Noorul Amin Mengal issued the notification in this regard on Thursday. According to the home department, the remission under Rule 216 of the Pakistan Prisons Rules 1978 will benefit 450 inmates, of whom around 270 are expected to be released to celebrate the Eid with their families. The department highlighted that several deserving prisoners were being released due to the payment of fines by philanthropists and for demonstrating good behaviour.
Express Tribune
25-05-2025
- Express Tribune
Repeat sex offenders face GPS monitoring
The user would have to enable GPS so the police may locate them. PHOTO: REUTERS The Punjab government has announced a new initiative to electronically monitor habitual sex offenders through GPS-enabled ankle devices. The system, introduced by the Crime Control Department (CCD), will initially be implemented for repeat offenders convicted in rape and sodomy cases, with plans to expand the programme to include individuals involved in other serious crimes. According to CCD officials, offenders with two or more convictions will be fitted with tamper-proof electronic bands that send real-time location updates every hour to a central control room. If an offender attempts to leave designated areas without permission or tampers with the device, authorities will be notified immediately. "These electronic restraints will physically restrict offenders while allowing us to track their movements 24/7," a CCD spokesperson told The Express Tribune. The first deployment of 30 devices is scheduled to take place in Lahore this week, with an additional 100 monitors to be distributed across the province in the coming phase. The bands may only be removed after an offender has demonstrated consistent behavioural improvement over a monitored period. This initiative is part of a broader electronic surveillance strategy approved by Home Secretary Noorul Amin Mengal. The programme includes the procurement of 1,500 GPS trackers for suspects on the Fourth Schedule and repeat offenders under the supervision of the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), CCD, and parole authorities. A few days earlier, Secretary Mengal chaired a high-level meeting at his office where the import of more than 1,500 GPS monitoring bands was approved. Habitual criminals The provincial home department has also drafted 'The Punjab Control of Goondas Act, 2025' to curb the activities of habitual criminals, enhance public safety and deter anti-social behaviour. The draft provides a legal framework for identifying, monitoring, and restraining elements that pose a threat to public order. It provides the legal definition of Goonda as "a person habitually involved in disorderly conduct, criminal activity, or anti-social behaviour that endangers peace or creates public nuisance". The District Intelligence Committees (DICs) will be empowered to declare an individual a 'Goonda' on the basis of credible reports from police officers, assistant commissioners, intelligence agencies or written complaints. The grounds for the declaration include involvement in drug trafficking, gambling, extortion, cybercrimes, harassment, organised criminal activity, use of forged documents, display of weapons, running a brothel, impersonation of public officials and other listed offences. Upon the declaration, the DIC may impose various restrictions on the targeted individuals, including, requiring a bond for good behaviour in future, placement on no-fly list, blocking CNIC and passport, confiscation of digital devices and data and freezing of bank accounts. The proposed requirements include community service and restriction upon visiting sensitive public places. The law allows for technical surveillance, including digital monitoring and biometric data collection, to ensure compliance and detect criminal conduct.
Express Tribune
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Volunteer registration portal launched
The telecommunication authority says that MICO has been registered as a Significant Social Media Company (SSMC) under Rule 7 (6) of the requisite provision. PHOTO: FILE In an effort to revitalise Civil Defence and bolster disaster preparedness, the Punjab Home Department has launched an online volunteer registration portal and established 22 Combined Control and Report Centres across the province to ensure rapid emergency response. The announcement came during a visit by Punjab Home Secretary Noorul Amin Mengal to a Civil Defence underground bunker at Nasir Bagh, Lahore on Thursday. Director Civil Defence Zameer Hussain briefed the secretary on existing safety protocols and operational preparedness. Highlighting the government's commitment, Mengal urged citizens to actively register through the new portal, noting that the department aims to train one million new volunteers across Punjab. "We are mobilising all necessary resources to meet this target," he said. According to the Home Department, Punjab now has 1,113 designated safe shelters with the capacity to accommodate up to 77,000 people in case of emergencies. The newly operational control centres are intended to streamline real-time communication and enable swift decision-making during crises. Mengal also stressed the urgent need to modernise Civil Defence infrastructure. "We have allocated Rs500 million for the immediate and transparent procurement of essential equipment and supplies," he said. He further revealed that Civil Defence, in collaboration with Rescue 1122, has trained over 150,000 citizensincluding a large number of studentswithin the past week through extensive awareness campaigns and disaster response drills. Despite Civil Defence having become largely inactive over the past decades due to the absence of conflict or urban attacks, the department is now being restructured to serve as a frontline institution for civil emergency response and public safety.
Express Tribune
13-05-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Rs500m to be spent on civil defence upgrade
In an effort to enhance emergency preparedness, the Punjab government has approved a Rs500 million modernisation package for the Civil Defence Department, signalling a strategic shift in the province's public safety framework. The decision was finalised during the 27th meeting of the Standing Committee of Cabinet on Law & Order, aligning with broader efforts to reinforce the province's crisis response capabilities amid heightened regional tensions. According to official documents issued by the Finance Department on May 10, a technical supplementary grant will be issued from the Internal Security Fund. Of the total allocation, Rs460 million has been designated for operational equipmentsuch as mine detectors, snake cameras, bomb blankets, electric sirens, and advanced fire extinguisher setswhile Rs40 million will support IT infrastructure upgrades. Punjab Home Secretary Noorul Amin Mengal has launched an ambitious volunteer recruitment campaign, with the goal of registering one million Civil Defence volunteers across the province. The dual strategyupgrading equipment and expanding human resourcesis aimed at building a comprehensive emergency management network capable of responding swiftly and effectively to a wide range of threats.
Express Tribune
24-04-2025
- Express Tribune
Repeat offenders to wear GPS-enabled bands
The Punjab Home Department has launched an electronic tracking program to closely monitor habitual offenders province-wide. In a meeting led by Home Secretary Noorul Amin Mengal, officials agreed that individuals listed in the Fourth Schedule of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and repeat offenders will wear GPS-enabled bands for continuous surveillance. A total of 1,500 tracking devices have been procured: 900 will be deployed by the Counter Terrorism Department, 500 by the newly formed Crime Control Department, and 100 by the Parole Department. Mengal directed the import of cutting-edge tracking technology, including micro chips, following expert recommendations to ensure uninterrupted monitoring of high-risk individuals. Special Home Secretary Fazalur Rehman, Additional IG Crime Control Department Suhail Zafar Chatha, DIG Operations Punjab Waqas?Nazeer, Additional Police Secretary Dr Zeeshan?Hanif, and law and finance representatives attended the meeting. A Home Department spokesperson stated that this initiative brings Punjab's crime-monitoring infrastructure in line with global standards. By tracking the movements of recidivist criminals, authorities aim to deter offences before they occur .
